


The Arc of Conflict, Fragment e14a,1: Memories of Ice and Snow

by bzarcher, solarbird



Series: Of Gods and Monsters [73]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Challenges, Change of Plan, Courage, Ecopoint: Antarctica, Ecopoint: China Sea, Gen, Hope, Multi, Oasis (Overwatch), Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Plans, Russia, Tactical Withdrawal, Volskaya Industries (Overwatch), reconsideration
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-13 16:27:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17491358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bzarcher/pseuds/bzarcher, https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarbird/pseuds/solarbird
Summary: Alliances, it has been said, are at their weakest on the brink of defeat, and on the brink of victory. After defeating the China Sea omnium, the gods of Oasis offered their help to Russia, to defeat their own Siberian threat, and Russia accepted that offer -  but made additional secret plans of their own.Mei-Ling Zhou became a goddess to fight for the people under her protection. But now she must decide if fighting is always what would be best.Of Gods and Monsters: The Arc of Conflictis a continuance ofThe Arc of Ascension,The Arc of Creation, andThe Armourer and the Living Weapon. It will be told in a series of eddas, sagas, interludes, fragments, texts, and cantos, all of which serve their individual purposes. To follow the story as it appears,please subscribe to the series.





	The Arc of Conflict, Fragment e14a,1: Memories of Ice and Snow

**Author's Note:**

> dirtyclaws has launched [a fan-run _Of Gods and Monsters_ discord server](https://discord.gg/pDZMpVT)! This combination of words kinda makes my brain explode, but in a good way. [You can join it here](https://discord.gg/pDZMpVT). 
> 
> ☆*:.｡.ヽ(；▽；)ノ .｡.:*☆

Mei-Ling Zhou sat in her quarters at the Ecopoint and stared at the screen, unable - or, more, on some level, unwilling - to process what she was hearing.

“You told me - told us - the omnium had been secured!”

Michael looked like he had the weight of the world pinning down his wings. 

“It was - it _is_ \- but we find ourselves in a... situation... with Russia, Mei. And so, we’re bringing everyone to Oasis. It would, we feel, be best to evacuate the Ecopoint until we know what is going to happen.”

For the first time since her rebirth, a shiver of dread ran through her. “Zarya?”

“Alive,” Michael answered, “and relatively unharmed.”

_Then that means…_

_Oh._

_Oh, no._

Mei looked at her hands, and despite no hint of unsteadiness, some little part of her whispered that she could use a drink to calm her nerves. But now, the rest of her shouted it down. 

“We cannot abandon our work." Of that much, she felt sure. "I can protect us if..."

"For several hours, at a time? Absolutely. But not while you're asleep."

Mei hissed, but couldn't deny it. "Then... we can keep the teleporters open. The evacuation stations are in pressure-safe chambers. We can keep a skeleton staff on site, rotated in and out, for work would would be damaged, if left."

Michael frowned. "That is _not_ part of our agreement with the Chinese government. The last thing we need is another confrontation while..."

"I will make them understand," Dr. Zhou insisted. "I have a good relationship with _many_ people in the science ministry. If we let them monitor, officially, they will accept it."

Dr. Ngcobo looked to the side and spoke with off-camera members of the technical staff, before replying.

"Evacuation chamber two has equipment which could manage that. Operations tell me they can reconfigure it by remote, to do so. But for the next few days, please, Mei..."

" _What happened?_ " she demanded.

"I do not want to discuss that on this channel. We will debrief you and your researchers here. I am doing everything in my power to help this blow over, but for the moment, for the safety of your people, please, Dr. Zhou - evacuate."

Mei hesitated, but her memories of Antarctica spoke to her - _the people_ , they said, _are more important than the research_ \- and she understood. "For _them_. A temporary evacuation, until we can be debriefed, and make a better decision."

"That is... that will do."

"We will need a few minutes to put everything we can on standby."

Michael nodded, relief clear on his face. “Of course. But please hurry, Mei. We have not picked up any action against you yet, but - there may not be much time. Or _any_ warning.”

The connection closed, and Mei opened the all call channel.

“This is Doctor Zhou to all Ecopoint staff. There has been a situation. Please secure and store all work and prepare to execute a temporary evacuation. You have... thirty minutes… before the teleporters will be activated.”

Once the announcement went through she picked up her phone, dialing before she’d even consciously thought about it. 

She wasn’t surprised when the call went to voicemail, and she didn’t mind. She just wanted to hear his voice, to get that chance to center herself. 

_”You have reached Shimada Hanzo. Please leave a message.”_

“Hi,” she said, her voice wavering as tears welled in her eyes. “I guess... something’s gone wrong. _Really_ wrong. We’re working on a temporary shutdown, and evacuating. By the time you get this... I guess I’ll probably be in Oasis.” 

The tears had started to track down her cheeks, and Mei let them.

“I don’t know what happens now, but I wanted... I needed…” She took a deep breath, and let it go. _I need to get going. There isn’t time to hesitate._ “I love you, no matter what, and I hope... I can see you soon.”

She dropped the connection, and punched up the emergency link to the Minister of Oceanographic Science, which picked up at once.

"Dr. Wan? Oh, hello, Zhu Li. Yes, I am sorry, but this is a level one emergency. I must speak to the minister directly... thank you. I will wait, while you get her."

\-----

"Evacuating?"

Morrison frowned, and understood, but also, did not, as Ecopoint staff moved equipment into the teleporter banks behind Mei.

"Wasn't _not_ evacuating basically the point of joining them?"

"I did not _join them_ , Jack. Not that way." She turned, for a moment, and said something in Mandarin that Morrison didn't understand, before turning back. "The Ministry of Science - of China, not Oasis - has agreed to let us keep the teleporters open so we can continue critical work, as long as we allow a state monitor onboard." Mei-Ling grimaced. "And I _can_ protect this facility, against anything! When... I am awake."

 _Huh_ , he thought. "So you still need sleep, then."

 _Can you ever **not** be an intelligence officer, Jack_, she wondered, _for even just a moment?_ "Yes, Jack," she said, a little bit exasperated, "I still need to sleep. Not as much as I used to! And Snowball can wake me quickly in an emergency, but... it is not the same thing." She sighed. "Even with all I can do now... protecting a facility this large is much harder than protecting just myself. I'm a research scientist, not a fighter. Not that kind."

 _Not like Lena, or Hana_ , the soldier thought. _Thought so, but now she's said it. Good._

"If it were just me, then I would stay. But it is _not_ just me." She looked directly into Jack's eyes, or as directly as she could, over telepresence. "I will _not_ lose another member of my team. Not one."

Morrison's expression softened a bit. _The other side of command_ , he thought. "Sometimes," he allowed, "admitting a need to retreat is more difficult than trying to hold a position. Even for someone who _is_ a soldier."

Dr. Zhou saw in his face that he understood, and relaxed a bit in response. "I think, before... I would have insisted we stay. Out of... I don't know. Overcompensation." She blinked, as if realising something. "I think... I think I know myself a little better, now."

"I think you're right," Morrison agreed, after a moment. "I think you would've." _Oasis is expecting an all out war,_ he thought, but kept to himself. _Or at least the possibility of one. But Mei, at least, is still reasonable, and talking to us. Maybe... maybe we can still salvage this after all._

"Get your team to safety, Dr. Zhou. And... see if you can put the brakes on any bad ideas from the Oasis side. Try to get them to talk to us. We'll see if we can't help calm things down from out here."

Mei-Ling smiled, a little. "I think that would be a very good idea. I don't know exactly what's going on, but..."

"They haven't debriefed you?"

"Not yet. They will, when I arrive. Right now, I just know it is bad."

"It is."

Morrison saw Mei-Ling react to something said, again, off screen, and she nodded.

"Time to leave. I will let you know when we are back on site."

"Thank you, Doctor. And good luck."

"You too, Jack." She smiled at her companion, floating beside her, and patted its dome. "C'mon, Snowball - Let's go!"

**Author's Note:**

> This is the third instalment of _Of Gods and Monsters: The Arc of Conflict_. To follow the story, [subscribe to the series via this link](https://archiveofourown.org/series/972024), rather than to the individual works.


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